ARCADIA – Mike Willman, Santa Anita’s publicity director, was on top of the world Saturday after the 7-year-old horse he co-bred and co-owns, McCann’s Mojave, won the $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla.

Willman, a Glendora resident, was too emotional to speak immediately after watching the race from his office in the Santa Anita press box.

McCann’s Mojave, a son of Memo, went postward at odds of nearly 34-1 and returned $69.80 after taking a two-length lead at the top of the stretch and holding off another long shot, 42-1 outsider Summer Book, to win the 1<MD+,%30,%55,%70>1/<MD-,%0,%55,%70>8-mile race on dirt by three-quarters of a length in 1:49.89.

It was McCann’s Mojave’s third consecutive victory but by far the biggest of his career. Transferred to the barn of Steve Specht last fall, McCann’s Mojave finished sixth in last year’s Sunshine Millions Classic.

“I wish I could say I really did something special, but I can’t,” said Specht, who admitted he didn’t bet a penny on the horse.

“A million-dollar purse is good enough for me.”

Willman later told the Daily Racing Form: “When you’re a big price, sometimes they leave you alone on the lead. Specht’s done an outstanding job with this horse.”

The victory by McCann’s Mojave was the fourth by a Cal-bred during the fifth annual Sunshine Millions, an eight-race program split between Santa Anita and Gulfstream that matches California horses against Florida-breds for purses totaling $3.6 million.

Florida-breds also won four races but captured the team scoring, 37-35, for the fifth consecutive year, based on five points for a win, three for second and one for third.

Only two favorites – Mistical Plan in the $250,000 Oaks and Lava Man in the $500,000 Turf – emerged victorious. Both races were run at Santa Anita. The average $2 mutual payoff for the four Sunshine Millions winners at Gulfstream Park was $39.40.

David Flores, leading rider during the Millions’ short history, chalked up win No. 6 aboard Mistical Plan for trainer Doug O’Neill in the $250,000 Oaks.

Mistical Plan, a daughter of Game Plan, was far back early in the six-furlong race on dirt for 3-year-old fillies, but closed stoutly in the stretch and got up to beat 10-1 long shot Tiz Elemental by a nose.

“Around the turn, I was trying to follow the six horse (Tiz Elemental) and at the three-sixteenths (pole) it opened up a little bit at the rail and we got through it,” Flores said. “It was close, but I thought we won it.”

Besides McCann’s Mojave’s stunning score, other Sunshine Millions winners at Gulfstream Park included Miss Shop in the $500,000 Filly/Mare Turf, Shaggy Mane in the $500,000 Filly/Mare Sprint and 26-1 long shot Storm in May in the $250,000 Dash for 3-year-olds.